Thin aluminum silk screen frame



Feb. 16, 1965 A..J. CAOUETTE 3,169,475

THIN ALUMINUM SILK SCREEN FRAME,

Filed Jan. 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. l

Armand J Caoueffe INVENTOR.

Mm BY gvw Feb. 16, 1965 A. J. CAOUETTE THIN ALUMINUM SILK SCREEN FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1963 Fig. 5

Armand J Caaueffe INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,169,475 THIN ALUMINUM SILK SCREEN FRAME Armand J. Caouette, 317 North St., Saco, Maine Filed Jan. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 253,586 9 Claims. (Cl. 101-127.1)

The present invention relates to a silk screen frame and more particularly a thin aluminum silk screen frame which constitutes certain improvemnets over the silk screen frame disclosed in copending application Serial No. 171,932, filed February 8, 1962 for Silk Screen Printer With Thin Aluminum Silk Screen Frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a thin aluminum silk screen frame which is of the thinnest possible construction and thinner than any presently available si-k screen frame. The thin aluminum silk screen frame is extremely lightweight in construction and has no bolts, pins, screws or the like connected to the screen frame. The screen frame is easy to handle and store and is a space saver in that very little area is required.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a thin aluminum silk screen frame having a downwardly and inwardly curved inner surface which merges to a gradual lip at the bottom towards the inside of the silk screen frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a silk screen frame incorporating a novel manner of attachment to a wooden frame which has a rabbeted groove with there being a casing or shell connected with the wooden frame and provided with a lip that covers the top inside portion of the silk screen frame for securely retaining the silk screen frame properly orientated in the wooden frame.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a silk screen frame having a bent over lip around the bottom surface thereof for receiving a thin fiat piece of aluminum metal for retaining the strip of metal in place in a permanent manner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a thin aluminum silk screen received in a groove in a wooden frame having a casing or shell attached thereto having slots at various places around the periphery thereof together with keys for lockingly engaging the silk screen frame for retaining it in assembled relation.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide an assembly in accordance with the preceding object in which the key is self-locking and securely holds the silk screen frame in place.

The foregoing structure as defined in the objects provides the thinnest complete silk screen frame made entirely of aluminum metal thereby eliminating tape. The silk screen frame is quiteeconomical to buy and easily stored in a minimum of space. However, the frame can be installed in the wooden frame in a very few seconds and it can also be removed from the wooden frame in a few seconds. Also, the locking keys and the particular arrangement of the shell and its relationship to the aluminum silk screen frame enables the foregoing objects to be carried out.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the silk screen frame incorporated into the wooden master frame with portions broken away illustrating the structural details thereof;

tion of FIGURE 1 with portions broken away;

3,169,475 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 lCC FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the shell or casing attached to the wooden master frame;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the silk screen frame illustrating the relationship thereof the shell or casing and also with portions broken away illustrating the structure thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 55 of FIGURE 4 illustrating further structural details of the silk screen frame, the shell or casing therefor together with the master wooden frame; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the locking keys illustrating the structure thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the silk screen frame of the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10 and is mounted on a wooden frame 12 having a rabbeted notch 14 formed in the inner corner thereof. The construction of the wooden frame 12 is of conventional construction in that suitable miter joints together with fasteners 16 are provided therefor and the rabbeted groove 14 is formed in the inner bottom edge thereof.

The silk screen frame 10 is received in a peripheral shell or casing 18 attached to the bottom surface of the outer wooden frame 12 by a plurality of screw-threaded fasteners 20 extending through corresponding apertures 22 in the shell. 18. The shell 18 is provided with an upwardly offset peripheral portion 24 received in the rabbeted groove 14 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The fasteners 29 and the apertures 22 are distributed throughout the shell 18 and extend also through the offset portion 24. In each instance, the screw-threaded fasteners 20 are countersunk into the shell so that a smooth lower surface is provided. The inner edge of the offset portion 24 is downturned as at 26 thus form a lip 26 in spaced relation to a vertical wall 28 which interconnects the offset portion 24 with the main body of the shell 18. As illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the shell 18 is continuous peripherally and may be constructed of any suitable material such as aluminum or the like.

Formed in the bottom surface of the shell. 18 is a plurality of grooves 30 which have downwardly converging side edges 32 thus forming a dovetailed groove which communicates the exterior peripheral surface of the shell 18 with the area encompassed by the offset portion 24, the vertical wall 28 and the depending lip 26.

As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the thin aluminum silk screen frame 10 is received within the offset portion 24 of the shell 18 in a close-fitting relationship. The silk screen frame 10 includes a peripheral molding generally designated by numeral 34 which is generally hollow in construction and includes a top wall 36, an outer wall 38 perpendicular thereto, a bottom wall 40 parallel to the top wall 36 and a partial upper side wall 42 parallel to the side wall 38. At the bottom of the partial side wall 42, there is defined a downwardly opening member defining a channel 44. This member includes a transverse upper wall portion 46 paralleling the top wall 36, an inner wall 48 and an outer wall 5i) parallel to each other and parallel to the side walls 38. The partial side wall 42 is integral with the top wall 46 at the center thereof and the bottom of the inner side wall 48 is integral with the bottom 40 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The bottom of the outer partial side wall 50 is provided with a laterally extending bottom wall 52 parallel with the bottom wall 40.

An inwardly curving wall member 54 extends from the surface of the partial side wall 42 intermediate the ends thereof downwardly and inwardly in a smooth curved manner where it joins with the inner edge of the bottom wall 52 in a projecting lip 56 having a smoothly curved upper surface. The upper portion of the curved wall 54 is disposed adjacent to but under the terminal end of the down curved lip 26 when the silk screen frame is placed in the casing or shell 18 as illustrated with the periphery of the molding or frame member 34 being complementary to the interior surface of the offset portion of the casing as defined by the wall 24, the lip 26 and the vertical wall 28.

Where the mitered corners of the molding '54 are interconnected, channel shaped corner locks 58 are provided which are of inverted channel shaped configuration and fit within the interior of the top wall. 26, the side wall 28 and the partial side wall 4-2 so that the corner locks 58 which are of right angular configuration will effectively secure the mitered corners Gil of the silk screen frame together for forming a rigid permanently formed silk screen frame.

The bottom wall. 40 where it joins with the side wall 38 is provided with a thickened area 62 forming a reinforcement thereof and the undersurface of this area of the bottom wall 40 is provided with a longitudinal rib or pro jection 64 which depends below the inner wall of the grooves 3ft when the silk screen frame is assembled with the casing 18 as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

For locking the silk screen frame it) in the shell 13, there is provided a plurality of elongated locking members or keys 66 which are slidably disposed in the grooves 30. The outer end of each locking member or plate 66 is provided with an upwardly offset handle 63 having an inner surface Til engageable with the external periphery of the wooden frame 12. The inner end of the key 66 is provided with a recessed portion 72 on the upper surface thereof and a projection 74 outwardly of the recessed portion '72 whereby the recessed portion '72 will receive the projection 64 thereby locking the locking plate 66 to the silk screen frame and retaining the silk screen frame assembled in the shell or casing 13. Thus, by retracting a plurality of the lock plates 66, the silk screen frame may be easily removed and correspondingly may be easily assembled in relation to the wooden frame 12. The lock plates as are constructed of rigid material having sufficient rigidity and also sufficient resiliency to snap over the projection 6 5. The lock plate may conveniently be constructed of aluminum material as are the other metallic components.

Disposed in the silk screen frame is the silk mesh 76 which extends under the surface of the bottom 52 and the lip 56 and then around the periphery of the channel 44-. For retaining the silk mesh 76 in the channel 44, there is provided a hollow spline 78. The hollow spline is provided with a slit or slot in the top surface thereof whereby the resiliency of the spline 78 will serve to retain the silk mesh 76 within the channel 44 thereby locking the silk mesh to the silk screen frame.

On the bottom wall 49, there is provided a lip 86 spaced therefrom and connected integrally therewith at the outer end thereof. The lip Stl receives a thin flat piece of aluminum metal 82 which is received under the lip 80 and which extends under the molding 34 to a point adja cent the lip 56. The thin metal strap or plate is cemented over the silk mesh 76 and then the lip till which receives the flat plate is pressed firmly and permanently over the thin fiat piece of aluminum metal 82 thus completing the aluminum frame so that it is ready for use.

The downcurved wall which comes to a gradual lip at the bottom towards the inside of the silk screen frame provides for ease of applying the apparatuses used in silk screening. The shell or casing 18 is of one continuous piece of aluminum or it may be provided with mitered corners which, when joined, form a continuous aluminum member and the shell covers the entire underneath part of the outer wooden frame including the rabbeted groove and over the inside top part of the groove with the inner edge thereof terminating in the downturned lip 26 that drops down covering the top inside corner of the molding i 34. The downturned lip 2d and its association with the partial wall 4-2. of the molding rigidly secures the silk screen frame firmly in position so that the operations while silk screening may be carried out without any paint leakage whatsoever.

In one practical embodiment of the invention, the silk screen frame has been constructed fifteen inches wide, twenty inches long and one-half inch thick. The molding 34 is one and three-eighths inches wide. The four corner locks are snapped in place inside of the molding for locking the corners of the frame securely and permanently. The channel which receives the silk mesh has the spline 755 received therein which is preferably an aluminum hollow spline measuring one-quarter inch square all around to fit the channel peripherally of the frame. The spline is pressed in the channel of the frame to secure the silk mesh evenly and drum tight all around the frame. An adhesive cement is applied to the underneath part of the aluminum silk screen frame and then another coat of adhesive cement is applied over the silk mesh and spline. The thin flat piece of aluminum metal 82 is then applied over the whole width of the aluminum molding thus sealing the spline, silk mesh and the thin flat strip of aluminum metal. permanently all together. The lip is then permanently pressed against the aluminum plate for permanently retaining it in place. The keys or lock plates 66 retain the aluminum silk screen frame in place in the wooden frame during use thereof and this construction enables the ready removal, replacement and storage of the silk screen frame as required.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A thin silk screen frame comprising a peripheral hollow molding having a downwardly opening channel defined therein, a silk mesh member underlying the molding and having a portion of the periphery received in the channel, spline means received in the channel and frictionally retaining the silk mesh member attached to the molding, a thin metal strip underlying the channel and engaging the peripheral portion of the silk mesh where it underlies the molding, and lip means on said molding overlying the outer edge of said strip for securing the strip to the molding.

2. A silk screen frame comprising a peripheral molding provided with a downwardly opening channel in the lower surface thereof, a silk mesh having the periphery received in said channel, a spli re frictionally anchoring the silk mesh in the channel, the inner periphery of said molding including a curved wall surface terminating in a lip overlying the silk mesh, said moiding including means on the bottom thereof to facilitate attachment to an outer frame.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said molding is provided with an offset inwardly opening lip on the bottom surface thereof and disposed outwardly of said channel, a metal strip received under the lip and underlying the channel and a portion of the periphery of the silk mesh, said inwardly opening lip being deformed upwardly into rigid clamping engagement with said strip.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said molding is provided with a hollow central bore for reducing the weight thereof, said lip on the curved wall of the molding generally coinciding with the inner peripheral edge of said metal strip.

5. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said means on the molding includes a rib on the bottom surface thereof for interengagement with locking means.

6. The structure as defined in claim 2 together with an outer frame having a recess receiving said molding, and a plurality of locking members laterally movably mounted on the outer frame for locking the molding in the recess.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said outer frame includes a shell defining said recess, the bottom of the shell including a plurality of grooves communicating with the recess, said locking members being slidably mounted in said grooves.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein each locking member includes a handle on the outer end thereof and a recess in the top surface of the inner end portion thereof, said molding including a rib for snapping into the recess and forming said means for detachably locking the silk screen frame to the outer frame.

9. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said shell is provided with a depending lip on the inner periphery thereof telescopically receiving the inner periphery of the molding.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 666,410 1/01 Dick 101126 1,470,962 10/23 Dibble et a1 101-126 2,013,772 9/35 Ulrich 101126 2,339,423 l/44 Pollard 101126 2,588,199 3/52 Bily 1011 27.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 620,629 3/49 Great Britain.

WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

DAVID KLEIN, Examiner. 

1. A THIN SILK SCREEN FRAME COMPRISING A PERIPHERAL HOLLOW MOLDING HAVING A DOWNWARDLY OPENING CHANNEL DEFINED THEREIN, A SILK MESH MEMBER UNDERLYING THE MOLDING AND HAVING A PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY RECEIVED IN THE CHANNEL, SPLINE MEANS RECEIVED IN THE CHANNEL AND FRICTIONALLY RETAINING THE SILK MESH MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE MOLDING, A THIN METAL STRIP UNDERLYING THE CHANNEL AND ENGAGING THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE SILK MESH WHERE IT UNDERLIES THE MOLDING, AND LIP MEANS ON SAID MOLDING OVERLYING THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID STRIP FOR SECURING THE STRIP TO THE MOLDING. 